Esashi (枝幸町) is a town located in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,276 in 3918 households, and a population density of 8.1 people per km2. The total area of the town is 1115.62 km2. The name of the town comes from the Ainu word "Esaushi", meaning "cape" (in the geographic sense).

Geography

Esashi is located at the southeast tip of Sōya Subprefecture, and faces the Sea of Okhotsk to the east. It consists of mostly rugged terrain sandwiched between the sea and the mountains, with the main urban area on a long, narrow strip of the coast. The area around the mouth of the Kitami Horobetsu River is a marshland. The west is mountainous, with 80% of the area covered by forest. The southern border of the city is marked by the Toinai River, and the north is marked by Cape Kamui. Parts of the town are within the borders of the North Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

Climate

Esashi has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb). The highest temperature ever recorded in Esashi was 35.0 C on 31 July 2000. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -26.4 C on 12 February 1947.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Esashi is as shown below. The town is in a long period of sustained population loss.

History

Esashi District was established in 1869 in Kitami Province (1868-1882), a short-lived province in the north of Hokkaido. The district was historically under the control of the Kaga Domain on Honshu; this control ended in 1870. In 1878, the villages of Esashi, Tonbetsu, Utanobetsu, and Rebun were established in Esashi District, Kitami Province. In 1909 the four villages merged to form the second-class village of Esashi; however, Tonbetsu was separated out in April 1916. In April 1923, Esashi was raised to a first-class village. Utanobori was separated from Esashi in September 1939. On May 11, 1940, a forest fire razed most of Esashi, with 16 people killed and 547 buildings destroyed. Esashi was raised to town status in October 1947. On March 20, 2006, Esashi merged with the town of Utanobori.

Government

Esashi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Esashi, as part of Soya sub-prefecture, contributes one member to the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaido 12th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The local economy of Esashi is centered on commercial fishing and dairy farming. In particular, Esashi is noted for its catch of horsehair crab, salmon, and scallops. The waters off Esashi are rich in marine plankton carried by drift ice that moves south in the southern Okhotsk Sea in winter. The crab catch is one of the largest in Japan using crab trap fishing. Scallops from Esashi are not only consumed domestically, but are also exported to China, France, and North America. In addition, various seafood such as flounder, sea cucumber, sea bream, sea urchin, and octopus are landed.

Education

Easahi has seven public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Hokkaido Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Esashi has not had any passenger railway services since the closing of the JR Hokkaido Tempoku Line in 1989. The nearest railway station is Otoineppu Station on the Sōya Main Line.

Highways

Local attractions

Mascot

Esashi's mascot is Esashi-kun (えさっしー). He is a bright and energetic fairy who loves the forest and the sea and the taste of the horsehair crab. As such, he customized his hat with the things he likes. He is unveiled in 2011. He is created by Ayumi Shozaki of Osaka.